The threat to the Probation Service from new Government proposals was highlighted in the House of Commons by Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood.

Mr Wood, who is a former probation worker, told the Commons that the Bill had 'innate weaknesses' and would not cut reoffending or give the public greater protection.

He said: "It is my view that the Bill will fracture the probation function in detriment to the public, offenders and the courts.

"It will centralise and privatise, against the wishes of the vast majority of those consulted by the Government.

"The Government have not justified the proposals, other than to restate their belief that the introduction of the market will, by definition, improve matters-the idea that private is good and public is bad.

"That comes from a Government who told us that ideology was dead and that the only thing that matters is what works, and after they have seen the chaos and the abuses in some private prisons.

"Only last week, the prison ombudsman's report on Harmondsworth showed that a vast number of its detainees had alleged assault, harassment and intimidation by the staff employed by the private company that runs it.

"Those are precisely the same companies that the Government seek to involve. We are told, "Don't worry about it. It's not going to happen straight away", but we know that that is where things are going."